Tweezers



p 1940- H. BACHMANN 7 2,214,984

TWEEZERS Filed April 7. 195a 1N VENTOR. fiQ'rz/y Bar/mum 7?;

M ww M ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics TWEEZERS HenryBachmann', McOonnelsville, Ohio Application April 7, 1938, SerialNo.'200,629

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-354) The present invention relates to improvements intweezers and more particularly to an improved construction for readilygripping either a single object or a plurality of objects.

The invention applies to tweezers generally, and is particularlyapplicable for use by doctors, surgeons, nurses and persons associatedwith them. Such persons, morethan others, are frequently handicapped byhaving only a single pair of hands with which to make incisions, closearteries, sew up wounds and to select articles and hold instruments atthe same time. .Various kinds of clamps and holding appliances areutilized by them to increase the operations and manipulations which canbe performed simultaneously. Even these expedients, however, leave muchto be desired. In" surgical operations, for example, the surgeongenerally requires the services of at least one nurse to assist him inholding articles or in holding a vein, artery or tendon adjacent towhere the surgeon is working. The advantages to the surgeon in beingable to grasp, hold and release such adjacent portions instead of havingto rely upon an assistant are numerous. This is particularly true whereit is necessary to work within narrow confines and where speed isrequired. Also, in the event an emergency arises and a capable assistantis not available, the doctor is called upon to perform his work alone asbest he can.

The present invention aims to minimize or overcome the above and othersimilar difficulties by providing an improved tweezers constructionadapted to be manipulated by one hand to grasp, retain and releaseeither a single or a plurality of objects independently. The device maybe utilized in a small space and is inexpensive to manufacture andthoroughly practical.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved tweezerscapable of grasping either a single or a plurality of objectsindependently.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tweezers capable ofreleasing either a single or a plurality of objects independently.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tweezers of the abovetype which may be operated easily and quickly.

Another object of the invention is to provide tweezers which may beoperated with one hand. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide tweezers of the above typewhich are practical and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, orwill be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages notreferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing,forming a part of the specification, wherein Fig. 1 is aperspectiveview' of the tweezers in open position, illustrating apreferred embodi- 'ment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevationalview of the construction shown in Fig. 1 with the addition of a springto bias one side of the tweezers;

a tweezers construction comprising spaced members or prongs l and 2,secured together at one end 8 thereof. Gripping means 3 comprising edgesor teeth are provided adjacent the ends of the prongs. Ridges 5 are alsoprovided on the outer surfaces of the handle portions to facilitate '1holding the tweezers. Positioned between the outer prongs l and 2 andjoined with them at the closed end 8 is a third member 1 with grippingmeans 4 adjacent its end and a projection I!) located at a, convenientpoint thereon. The

projection lil extends through a recess or aperture 'II in the outermember I and is operative to control the movement of the third member iwith respect to the outer members. The tweezers may be held in the samemanner as. the ordinary type of tweezers and closing of the intermediatemember with respect to the outer members. is

controlled by a finger resting against the enlarged portion l3 of theprojection It. The projection l0 permits closing of one side of thetweezers and also permits release of a single side of the tweezers at atime which gives independent operation of the two outer prongs with theinner prong. The construction, in effect, provides two pairs of tweezersin a single device which can be operated with a single hand somewhatsimilar to the manipulation of a single pair of tweezers.

Pressure applied against the lower member 2 and the finger rest I3 (Band C of Fig. 2) causes the free ends .3 and 4 of the lower andintermediate members 2 and I to come together so as to hold an object.These members are shown in closed relation by dotted lines in Fig. 2.Pressure applied against the upper member l at A causes this member toclose with respect to the opposite side of the intermediate member 1 tohold another object. Removing the pressure from the upper member Iallows the free end thereof to separate from the intermediate member.Removing the pressure from the lower member 2 and the finger rest I3allows these members to separate. Pressure applied only to the upper andlower portions causes them to close in the ordinary manner.

The extension In may be dispensed with if desired, and independentoperation of the sides of the tweezers obtained in another manner. Aspring or other resilient means it may be positioned between theintermediate member 1 andv one of the outer prongs to bias one side ofthe tweezers, that is to cause a greater resistance to closing one sidethan to closing the opposite side of the tweezers, which is not providedwith a supplemental spring. Pressure applied to the outer prongs willcause the unbiased side to close prior to the side having the spring M.As the pressure is released from the outer prongs, the biased side willopen first since the force tending to open this side is greater than onthe unbiased side. The sides of the tweezers may thus be operated withone hand to independently grasp and release objects, without the use ofthe extension H] on the intermediate member.

In certain cases, it may be, desired to use both a biasing spring andthe extension H] to eiTect opening and closing of the sides of thetweezers, and the tweezers in Fig. 2 are shown constructed in that way.When both are incorporated into a tweezers, either may be used alone tocause opening and closing of one side of the tweezers independently ofthe other side. If the spring is placed between the lower prong 2 andthe intermediate member E, the biasing efiect of the spring combinedwith the extension It enables either side of the tweezers to beselectively closed or opened independently of the other side. Pressingtogether only the outer prongs closes the upper side first to hold anobject since the spring biases the lower side. To close the lower sidefirst, requires that pressure he applied to the extension l0 and to thelower prong 2. If both prong ends are closed, the upper may be releasedprior to the lower by removing the pressure from the upper prong, thelower side may be maintained closed by retaining pressure against thelower prong and the extension Ill. To first release an object held bythe lower side of the tweezers requires that the pressure applied toboth the outer prongs be gradually released. The lower side will openfirst due to the spring l4.

Sometimes, a user desires to clamp objects between one or both thetweezers prongs for a sub-- stantial period of time, leaving the userfree for other operations. In Fig. 3 there is shown an enlargedsectional View of a locking device adapted to perform this function. Theupper side of the tweezers is shown held in closed relation by thelocking device and the lower side is shown in open relation. One leg ofa substantially U-shaped member i9 is adapted to slide longitudinallywithin a guide I? secured to the intermediate member I. The remainingfree leg of the U-shaped member extends over one of the outer prongs tohold it closed with respect to the intermediate member and extendsbeyond the side thereof when the tweezers prong is in open relation, Aprojection 23 on the free leg of the U-shaped member facilitatesengagement and movement by the user and a projection 2e on the free endof the leg in the guide ll prevents disengagement from the guide orcover Ill. The lugs for each side of the tweezers are alike and operatein the same way.

While the free ends of the prongs and intermediate member have beenshown provided with an ordinary type of corrugation or ridge, it will beunderstood that other constructions may be substituted therefor,depending upon the particution and must be opened in order to grasp an Lobject. A pair of resilient outer prongs I and 2 are secured together atone end 28 thereof and provided with adjacent, inwardly facing recesses25 at some convenient point along the length thereof. At a pointadjacent the recesses 25, the outer prongs reverse sides, that is eachcrosses to the opposite side of the tweezers and from thence extendsoutwardly and inwardly to the free ends 29. The adjacent recesses 25 areeach located in that portion of the outer member 1 which crosses to anopposite side of the tweezers and they cooperate to provide, in effect,a single aperture. Extending outwardly between the outer prongs from thesecured end 28 and through the aperture formed by the cooperatingrecesses 25, is an intermediate member 1 provided with a projection l0and a finger portion i3. The intermediate member preferably terminatesadjacent to the free ends of the outer prongs, which are formed so as tobe normally maintained resiliently in contact with the intermediatemember. ressure against the outer prongs opens both sides of thetweezers and releases objects held between each'of its free ends.

Pressure applied to the projection l0 and the lower prong 2, whichcrosses to the upper side of the..tweezers, opens the upper side of thetweezers and releases an object held thereby.

The operation of each type of tweezers will be clear from the abovedescription. It will be seen that the present invention provides animproved, inexpensive and thoroughly practical tweezers constructionwith which a user may independently grasp or release either a single ora plurality of objects. The device may be easily and quickly operatedwith one hand, may be locked and released with the same hand, andrequires a minimum of effort and skill on the part of the user. Asvarious changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement ofthe parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to beunderstood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A tweezers comprisingouter members of substantially equal length, a member intermediate saidouter members with the free end thereof terminating at the ends of saidouter members.

said members being attached together at one end thereof, and meanssecured to said intermediate member and extending laterally thereofbeyond the plane of the outer surface of one of said outer membersadapted to move said intermediate member independently of one of saidouter members.

2. A tweezers device comprising a plurality of outer prongs, one of saidprongs havinga recess therein, and a prong interjacent said outer prongswith a projection thereon extending through said recess adapted to closeand open said interjacent prong with respect to one of said outerprongs.

3. A tweezers having a pair of outer members, one of said outer membershaving a recess therein and a third member positioned between said outermembers with a projection thereon extending laterally from the thirdmember through the recess in said outer member with a finger portionbent substantially parallel to said recessed outer member and adapted tofacilitate opening and closing of said third member with one of saidouter members.

4. A tweezers comprising a pair of outer members, a member normallyspaced intermediate said outer members with a projection thereon adaptedto facilitate closing of said intermediate member with respect to one ofsaid outer members, said other outer member being provided with a recessadapted to accommodate the projection on said intermediate member tofacilitate closing thereof with respect to said intermediate member, andmeans on said intermediate member for selectively retaining one of saidouter members in closed relation with respect to said intermediatemember.

5. In a tweezers device a pair of outer members adapted to be normallyretained in closed position, and a member intermediate said outermembers with a projection thereon extending laterally thereof beyond theplane of one of said outer members and adapted to be pressed to movesaid intermediate member away from one of said outer members.

6. A tweezers comprising a pair of outer members retained togetheradjacent one end thereof and normally spaced at the working endsthereof, a member intermediate said outer members maintained in positionby the retained ends of said outer members and a separate member locatedbetween said intermediate member and one of said outer members andmaintained in position adjacent the retained ends of said outer andintermediate members adapted to press outwardly against said outermember to increase the tendency of said outer member to remain open to a

